Tag: longhorns coaching

Latest ESPN FPI has Longhorns in the top 12

ESPN has released their preseason FPI rankings for the upcoming 2020 season, the Texas Longhorns come in the top 12.

Recently ESPN released their recent FPI (Football Power Index). For those unfamiliar with the FPI, here is the explanation on ESPN’s model.

The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.

Following the Longhorns victory over the Utah Utes in the Valero Alamo Bowl ESPN released their postseason FPI. They listed Texas inside the top 20. Their FPI at that time was 13, just a few months down the road and now the Longhorns find themselves ranked 11th with a FPI of 19.6. That number is just 0.5 behind their bitter rivals, Oklahoma.

  • Oklahoma (10th) FPI-20.1
  • Oklahoma State  (17th) 13.7
  • TCU  (20th) 12.0
  • Iowa State (27th) 9.9
  • Kansas State (32nd) 8.2
  • Baylor (34th) 7.8
  • Texas Tech (41st) 6.3
  • West Virginia (45th) 5.2
  • Kansas (98th) -6.7

The Longhorns will also play the LSU Tigers this upcoming season who ranked 6th in the FPI poll at 23.7.

Texas has a projected win total of 9.5 according to their simulations. There are a multitude of reasons that their FPI would increase over a four month span which could include a whole new staff essentially and the influx of another top ten recruiting class in 2020. This seems to fall right in line where most media outlets have Texas projected when it comes to their way too early top 25 rankings.

Texas Longhorns Rank In Top 10 of ESPN’s Preseason FPI

ESPN has released their preseason FPI rankings for the upcoming 2020 season, the Texas Longhorns come in the top 10.

The preseason FPI rankings have been released for the 2020 college football season. The FPI (Football Power Index) is a way to measure the strength of a team with how they are projected to finish the season. The Longhorns come in ranked in the top 10.

The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.

The Longhorns come in ahead of the defending National Champions, LSU Tigers. Texas has revamped their staff in hopes of making a run at the Big 12 Championship in 2020. The Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are the only Big 12 teams in the top 10.

FPI Top 10 Conference Breakdown:

  • ACC (1)
  • Big Ten (3)
  • Big 12 (2)
  • Independent (1)
  • SEC (3)

Longhorns Wire Roundtable: Top five returners on defense in 2020

Three authors from Longhorns Wire rank the top returners on defense for Texas’ 2020 season.

Three Longhorns Wire authors rank their top returners on the defensive side of the ball.

Cami Griffin, Staff Writer

  1. Caden Sterns S – He’s one of the best safeties in the entire conference and will likely be a team captain this season, he just needs to stay healthy.
  2. Joseph Ossai LB – Texas has to get after the quarterback in Chris Ash’s new scheme, we got a glimpse of that with his three sacks and six tackles for loss against Utah.
  3. D’Shawn Jamison DB – Versatility. Jamison is expected to get more playing time this season, at both cornerback and as a kick returner.

    Joe Robbins/Getty Images
  4. Ta’Quon Graham DE – Texas had one of the worst defensive units in college football last season. If they want to win games in the trenches, they need to let Graham loose.
  5. Anthony Cook CB – Started four games last year, Tom Herman recently announced that Cook will be playing some at nickel this season.
Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Longhorns Wire Roundtable: Top five returners on offense in 2020

The Longhorns Wire writers discuss their top five returners on offense in the latest roundtable discussion.

Three Longhorns Wire authors rank their top returners on the offensive side of the ball.

Cami:

  1. Sam Ehlinger – QB – He has complete control over this offense, everything starts and ends with him. He’s also poised to have a Heisman finalist season as a senior.
  2. Samuel Cosmi – OL – The 6-7, 300-pound left tackle will anchor the offensive line this season, if it weren’t for Ehlinger behind center, he’d be the top returner on offense.
  3. Jake Smith – WR – His versatility as both a receiver and returner are key here. With Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay both leaving for the NFL, Smith is bound to have a breakout season.

    Tim Warner/Getty Images
  4. Keontay Ingram – RB – With the nation’s best running back Bijan Robinson joining the roster this summer, Ingram will have to produce significantly in order to retain his starting role. It’s his job for the taking, but the running back room is now loaded with talent.
  5. Brennan Eagles – WR – He hasn’t been able to showcase his full potential yet, but Texas desperately needs a big-bodied receiver on the outside.
Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Longhorns to hire new offensive analyst, part ways with Corby Meekins

Texas football is expected to hire former Texas State coach Everett Withers as an offensive analyst.

Although the primary assistant coaching jobs have been filled, head coach Tom Herman must now hire a new offensive analyst.

Corby Meekins was expected to fill this role for the 2020 season. According to Rivals reporter Anwar Richardson, Meekins has accepted a position as the tight ends coach at the University of Houston.

Meekins served as an assistant coach for the wide receivers and tight ends throughout his three-year tenure at Texas. Due to his departure from his newly-designated support staff role, the Longhorns are expected to hire long-time coach Everett Withers.

Withers was most recently the defensive backs coach for the New York Giants, but previously served as the head coach for Texas State, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and James Madison University.

Although Withers didn’t have much success at Texas State, he led James Madison to a conference title in 2015 with an overall record of nine 9-3.

It’s not his first stint in Austin. In 1998, Withers served as the Longhorns defensive backs coach. He is widely considered a great football mind who should make an excellent addition to Herman’s support staff.

Welcome back, coach.